Named after a village in Normandy, Livarot is a very strong-smelling cheese. For those of us who can withstand the smell however, it is one of the world's great eating cheeses with a smooth, ripe, slightly spicy flavor. Its rind is encircled with straps of paper that prevent the cheese from collapsing during maturing. The straps are reminiscent of a colonel's stripes, giving the cheese its nickname "The Colonel". A young, soft cheese that becomes runny at room temperature, Livarot is a true gourmet item in the French tradition.